Shillong Murder Case: Wife Sonam and Lover Raj Kill Husband Raja
A shocking murder case from Shillong has sent shockwaves across the nation. The deceased, Raja Raghuvanshi, was murdered by his wife, Sonam, and her lover, Raj Kushwah. Police investigations revealed that the murder was a meticulously planned conspiracy, not the result of a sudden quarrel or personal animosity. A total of five individuals have been arrested in this case, including three friends of Raj and one of his cousins.
The Pre-Murder Conspiracy
According to the police, Sonam and Raj were involved in a romantic relationship and plotted Raja's murder even before their marriage. In February, they devised two plans. The first involved making Sonam disappear, creating the impression that she had been swept away by a river. The second plan involved killing someone else, burning the body, and leaving Sonam's scooter at the scene to suggest her death. Both plans failed, and Sonam eventually married Raja.
Unwavering Intent After Marriage
Even after Raja and Sonam's marriage, the murder plan remained in progress. Days after the wedding, Sonam went to Guwahati with Raja to visit the Kamakhya Temple. Raj and his accomplices also arrived there. An attempt was made to murder Raja in Guwahati, but it failed. A subsequent plan was made to travel to Sohra (Cherrapunji).
The Murder: 18 Minutes
On May 19th, Sonam and Raja arrived at a parking lot in the Wards Lake area with their friends. While Raja went to the toilet, Sonam's lover Raj and his three accomplices murdered him. The entire crime took place between 2:00 PM and 2:18 PM. The body was then thrown into a deep ravine.
The Escape Plan
After the murder, Sonam gave her raincoat to her accomplice, Akash, and the blood-stained shirt was disposed of. They then left the scene on separate scooters. At AV Point, Akash discarded the raincoat and they switched scooters. Sonam then took a taxi to Guwahati, where Raj provided her with a burqa to avoid identification.
The Fugitive Plan
From Guwahati, Sonam took a bus to Siliguri, then travelled to Patna and Ara before reaching Lucknow. From Lucknow, she went to Indore and stayed there from May 26th to June 8th. While hiding in Indore, news reports surfaced identifying three suspects. When Raj learned of this, he instructed Sonam to immediately leave Indore and go to Siliguri, posing as a kidnapping victim.
Arrest and Investigation
On June 8th, as Sonam was about to leave Indore, two teams from the Shillong police were active in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Upon receiving information, the police found Sonam in Ghazipur, where she claimed to be a kidnapping victim. According to the police, this was not a contract killing but the culmination of a love affair. Raj spent a total of 59,000 rupees on the crime.
Three Failed Attempts, One Success
The accused had previously attempted to kill Raja in Guwahati, Nangriat, and Mawlyngbna, but failed for various reasons. They finally succeeded in Wards Lake. After the murder, the accused hoped Raja's body would decompose, making identification impossible.
Shillong Police Statement
Shillong SP Vivek stated that the police have solid evidence and will file a chargesheet within 90 days. Whether Sonam's family was aware of her affair is a subject of ongoing investigation.
